I don't know how financially viable it would be for UTV to build a large audience based studio. You get the feeling in the new location there will be one general purpose studio, maybe 2,000 Sq Ft for news output and a small back up studio. I don't get the sense they will build a larger studio than Havelock's Studio 1 now at present.
I don't know how financially viable it would be for UTV to build a large audience based studio. You get the feeling in the new location there will be one general purpose studio, maybe 2,000 Sq Ft for news output and a small back up studio. I don't get the sense they will build a larger studio than Havelock's Studio 1 now at present.
I would envisage a decent-sized studio, housing UTV Live and something along the lines of UTV Life (though hopefully that dire programme won't be with us much longer). I can't see audience capabilities. They'll just hire something out for that.
For lighting, I can't imagine there'll be great ceiling height in there.
It's had all sorts of extensions over the years - the most obvious being the 1993 addition, far left in that picture (which bears no resemblance to the design of the main building). That add-on is where UTV Live is currently based.
The size of operation that I imagine UTV must be nowadays, are they even occupying anything more than the aforementioned "add on" bit of the building?
I've not been inside Havelock House in quite a few years. From conversations with others, I understand that there are quite a few chunks of the building which are no longer occupied.
So apparently they will only occupy the 8th floor of the new City Quays 2 Building according to the Belfast Telegraph.
"Terry Brennan, head of news and programming at UTV said: “We are delighted to have secured the entire eighth floor of this prestigious new building which is in a prime location in central Belfast for our new UTV headquarters. We can see how beneficial this location will be, in terms of the surrounding amenities and transport links for our modern news operation."
“We aim to be operational at the new site by the middle of next year, when the detailed technical work will be complete to fit out the new HD studios, edit suites, corporate offices and news, administration, finance and sales areas for our staff."
Apparently a total of 11,399 Sq Ft of space in total.
BBC Northern Ireland are planning to move from their location too. They are planning to sell their Broadcasting House at Ormeau Avenue, with no word on whether they will sell Blackstaff Studio, I doubt it. It looks like City Quays could be the new home to BBC as well as UTV in the next year or so.
BBC Northern Ireland are planning to move from their location too. They are planning to sell their Broadcasting House at Ormeau Avenue, with no word on whether they will sell Blackstaff Studio, I doubt it. It looks like City Quays could be the new home to BBC as well as UTV in the next year or so.
Not sure what your source is for this but as far as I am aware, any plans to vacate BBC BH in Belfast have been put on ice.
BBC Northern Ireland are planning to move from their location too. They are planning to sell their Broadcasting House at Ormeau Avenue, with no word on whether they will sell Blackstaff Studio, I doubt it. It looks like City Quays could be the new home to BBC as well as UTV in the next year or so.
City Quays won't be the new home for BBC NI in the next year or so.
Also, just to pick up on your earlier post... BBC NI did not purchase Blackstaff House nor convert it to create Studio A. Blackstaff House, including Studio A, was purpose built by the BBC (or rather their builders).
BBC have told the Belfast Telegraph that a move is on the way, and City Quays is a possibility. Look at what I wrote - "it looks like City Quays could be the new home to BBC", COULD BE, I did not say they were 100% moving there, I said COULD.
Next, Blackstaff Building was always there on Great Victoria Street, and the BBC came in and built a 6,000 Sq Ft studio space. "Convert" is another way of saying they built on the site. Why do you think the BBC kept the name Blackstaff? Blackstaff House I remember my friend telling me was owned by Blackstaff publishing and they moved out, and the BBC came in. If that is wrong, then I apologise, I am just going by what my friend told some years a go.